The Penn's Grove record., 1887-06-18

81 didn't venture to-. 1 went down
town, goc n parrot as like the dead
devil as one pea to another, and sent it
with a new perch up to the house. 1t
got there before Fidessa arrived, and
she would never have discovered the
difference If old Mother Bunch hadn't
called upon her to condole. Then she
sent for me. tragically requested me to
remove the alien bird, and wept over
the memory of her lost pet. But /
told you, Amylion, she was good
hearted, with all her faults. When I
described to her the bite"
"She wanted to send you a new
coat2"
"Sne forgave me, consented to keep
the bird"
And borrowed $40 upon the strength
or her pardon. Satisfactory finale"
"I never told you that, Amyllon.
How on earth"
81 remember you telling me that you
had lost $40 about that time, as a rea-
son for not going out Of town for the
Fourth, Giving, friend Amys, is one
OF the luxuries of like. But Just so
soon as generosity suffers coercion it
ceases to be a qualification to give. No
man would relish an enforced diet OF
pate de foie gras, yet it's a luxury fit
for the gods. To be asked for a loan
by one who, on principle, never repays
it, is perhaps the most trying form Of
compulsory gift. The borrower evades
the stigma Of begging, while the lender
wholly misses the credit Of giving. l
think, Amys. 1 would rather avoid a
more intimate acquaintance with your
fair friend"
81 am sorry to hear you say so, for l
promised to call upon her next Sunday,
and | relied upon your accompanying
me. Did you know that your little
friend Oriana is down from Virginia
City, and staying with Fidessa."
Now, Oriana is a pet of mine, and /
had not seen her for an age. l was
anxious, moreover, to keep a brotherly
eye upon Amys; so I determined that
if he would go to Fidessa's the follow
ing Sunday, so would I. When the
day came | found that he was not to
be turned from his purpose. There
fore, we called together upon the widow.
[ carried with me into her house my
prejudice against her. In her presence
it seemed to melt away in defiance OF
my will. She was certainly a wonder
fully agreeable woman, and she APP
peared sincerely DESTROYS to putforward
little Drama, who Is shy, modest and
retiring. She evinced no feminine
jealousy of her superior advantages of
youth and good looks. Such not being
always the habit Of widows, l was
pleasantly surprised.
We were asked to remain to dinner.
Fidessa pressed-inSlsted. 1t was nc
kindness to ask US, she said, for she had
forgotten to market yesterday, and she
didn't believe there was anything fit to
eat In the house. Then she went out
of the room to ransack the pantries,
she told us, and Oriana vas left to en-
terrain us. The latter was unusually
quiet and silent. There was an embar-
rassment in her manner that / could
not fathom. Was she distressed at our
remaining to what she knew would be
a shabby dinner? If so, she placed in
sufficient faith in the powers of ouI
hostess. A more toothsome, inviting
little dinner l never sat down to. The
dishes were few, but dainty enough To
set before royalty. And the.whole was
exquisitely served. If l formed a bet
ter opinion Of Fidessa as l sat at her
table enjoying .he delicacies she EVIL
IDENTIFY took genuine pleasure In press
ing upon us, than l had thought ii
possible 1 could entertain toward one
of whose i%nveterate and inconslderate
habits of asking faYors l had heard
much and experienced little. Two
items that told strongly In her favor
with me were her kind manner tc
Oriana and her evident ability as
housekeeper and hostess.
Amys fairly beamed under the indu
ence of the tidbits she slipped on tC
his plate and the smiles she lavished
upon him. The sherry was incompar'
able, and l confess her solicitude In
keeping my glass in a trimming state
had a most mellowiug effect upon my
humor. l could not understand how
little Oriana, usually so bright and
gay, could not resist the effecte of this
genial atmosphere. She had grown
quieter and more silent since we sal
down to dinner, and all my efforts
failed to draw her cut.
We dined early, and the better parI
of the evening was still before us when
we left Fldessa's house. Amys sug
gested some calls In the neighborhood.
| acquiesced. Our first visit was u
the browns. They were at tea, and In
sisted upon our each taking a cup. The
~six-year-old daughter of the house, who
had q childish fondness for me, came
and cuddled down in a corner o. the
sofa beside me. We were somewhai
apart from the others.
There is no cake for tea tonight
she said condolingly. 1--WE always
have lots of cake, and Bridget made
sons that was awful good yesterday
but the lady who lives in the littl'
house across the street begged it al
away from us to-day. She had com
pany that came unexpected, and thu
mice had spoiled all her cake. AND
we gave her some soup, too. She's
nice lady and I like her, but 1 wish he
soup didn't get burned up sometimes
cause | like soup, and to-day there wa
not enough for dinner to give me any
cause her soup all got burned up agar
to-day and mamma lent her some o
ours"
1 was deeply interested.
"Does this lady's soup often ge
burnedY" / asked.
"Ohi yes-'most every Sundayl And
papa was awful mad to-day, cause j
was gumbo soup We had, and he like
gumbo soup, and he didn't have but
little wee bit. And he was awfu
cross with mamma cause he had q
crushed napkin, cause mamma lent al
the clean ones to the lady. And yoI
know, she hasn't brought back the sill
yer bu~tter-knife mamma lent her evel
so long ago. And papa says 1t won
do; mamma must stop Lending hel
things, cause she's an internal plague
What's a plaguep"
was spared the desired definition by
my little friends mamma, who at Thu